A special CHRISTMAS – LOYALTY, LOVE AND HORSES

A special CHRISTMAS – LOYALTY, LOVE AND HORSES

Most of my friends have or had horses and now that my world is less physical horses and more writing I take far more time thinking about the impact of horses on my life. I’m a strong advocate that horses assist their owners to understand loyalty, love, respect for others, responsibility and an awakening of one’s own emotions and behaviours.

What could be a better time than Christmas to ponder people and their horses? After all Christmas is the time when we open our hearts, send greetings to friends and connect with people far and wide. We remember those we haven’t contacted all year, we give them a phone call, send them a card, a letter, gift or all three.

We can and do look inwards reliving the old times and look forward to the new. I personally feel there’s nothing more wonderful than to think about what brought you together with your friends? And what in particular cemented these friendships? When I asked myself these questions, three words keep popping into my head, loyalty, love and horses.

In a way the relationship we have enjoyed with our horses could be described as family orientated. As we didn’t have children the horses became family. They lived close to our house, they knew our routine and watched our every movement. We were always there to assist the mares have their foals if needed. Hence the attachment to our horses occurred at birth. We’ve had horses and foals look to us for help if they’re experiencing any sort of problem. We’ve also had mares who have waited for us to arrive home to foal, calling incessantly until they caught your attention. The mare Pearsons Sarchi did this. We’d gone out for barely half an hour. When we left she was happily eating grass. We arrived home to her calling from the bottom of the lane way. It was as if she were saying, ‘where the hell ARE you? I’m having a foal here!’ We’d never sprinted down the lane way so fast. She foaled straight away, standing up, into Don’s arms!

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things — not the great occasions — give off the greatest glow of happiness. ~Bob Hope

A more poignant interaction was with Stavs Sorsha, and one I will NEVER forget. This particular morning I was putting on her halter to take her down to her paddock. Dons mobile phone rang and I can remember looking at him with dread. He was holding two mares who were to be taken to their paddocks. We knew the call would be sad news, our borzoi Midas was in renal failure and had no chance of survival. He was coming home for us to say goodbye and be put to sleep. I was bereft and Don couldn’t come to me as he was holding the mares. I rested my head against the stable door sobbing and almost straight away I felt a whiskery nose push into my neck. It was Sorsha. As I cried she pushed harder comforting me. Sorsha didn’t move her muzzle until I gained some composure. To experience such empathy and loyalty from a beloved horse is something that still brings me to tears.
I have to add that Sorsha is a DIVA – smart, beautiful and expects life to always fit in with her! This experience was incredible. A lesson to beat all lessons – most horse people know that when horses feel love they show it with non-verbal communication. But to experience it – incredible. If we allow them to do so, horses can teach us important lessons of love and caring for one another. You see it’s their natural behaviour within the hierarchy of a herd.

There are some wonderful programs where horses are used in behavioural therapy for troubled people and it’s said, for some, it surpasses traditional therapy. When I look back at the many surprising and delightful experiences over the forty plus years I’ve owned horses I can understand why. This connection, this loyalty and love resonates with the Universe remembering we all speak the common language of love, pain, loss, or joy.
So when you post off your gifts to your loved ones don’t forget the horses of the past and the ones in the paddock. Remember them with love, light a candle or toast their loyalty and love as you sit down to Christmas dinner. Oh and don’t forget to share the stories … Merry Christmas